Stickholders



June 2l, 1955 D. LURIE ETAL STICKHOLDERS Filed OOl.. 7, 1953 lqnl'o ft2- I n INVENTORS Daniel arie Berman 'iefn/ l! TTORNE Y 2,711,338 sTIcKnoLDERs Daniel Lurie and Bernard Stern, New York, N. Y., as-

`signors to .loe Lowe Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of DelawareV Application october 7, i953, sena1N0.3s4,646 2 claims. (ci. 294-81) The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus commonly known as fstickholders which are used in the candy and frozen confectionery industries for simultaneously locking, manipulating and releasing a plurality of handle memberssuch as wooden handle sticks, and it has particular relation to a portable type of stickrality of individual handle sticks in spaced horizontal relation, and manipulate and release said handle sticks simultaneously in a most eflicient, sanitary and economical manner.

There are many different kinds of stickholders in common use in these industries capable of performing the particular functions for which the present apparatus has been designed. The latest and most approved types, which consistcof upper and lower stationary plates and a shiftable intermediate plate, may be conveniently classified into two categories.` The most common type involves a stickholder in which the intermediate plate is shifted longitudinally of the apparatus to lock or release the handle sticks by a manipulating handle that pivots in a longitudinal direction. The second type involves a stickholder ink which the intermediate plate is shifted transversely of the apparatus to lock or release the handle sticks by a manipulating handle that pivots in a transverse direction.

With the development of automatism in ther-frozen confection industry, the closing and opening of such stickholders must be done automatically. As a result, it has been impossible to use both types of stickholderr simultaneously in a single system. Therefore, whenthe automatic installation is made, there are suitable provisions made for mechanism to open and closey the stickholders currently being used in the plant. Therefore, most of the automatic installations are provided with means for opening and closing such stickholders kin a longitudinal direction corresponding to the line of movement Yof said stickholders.

With the development of'automatism, the length of the refrigerating brine tanks was increased considerably,

and it has now been found that stickholders operating i' with a longitudinal shift of the locking plate become frosted to an extent, especially under very humid climatic conditions, that it is next to impossible for theautorriatic devices employed for moving'said releasing handle to release said handle sticks from their respectivewsticking and closing stickholders 20' holder adapted to receive and vertically position a plusticksin a Vertical POSOU- 1 i A further object of the invention is to piiovidena stickA holder of the character described which comprises'"av rugged construction employing a few simple parts that l.

may be easily and quickly dis-assembled and re-'assembled Y lfor cleaning purposes,which is economical to manu- ICC.,V

seriousproblern due to frost formations in an autr-:auaticv operation. Consequently, the present -inventionhas been made torprovide a stickholder having a transverselyfsliifting intermediate locking and releasing Yplate that is moved by` meansjof 'a `manipulating khandle that operatesin a longitudinal direction, whereby it may be used Withad1 e' vantage in automatic operations designed onlyfor openjl ,havingl a manipulating handle that pivots longitudinally.

Anobject of the present inventionis the provision of v a stickholder that is simple, eflicient andsanitary in construction, which has av manipulating handle mov-V able in one direction that is'capable of causing its locking and/or releasing platemember to' move in-a ldifferent direction.

Another object of theA invention is to' provide as ticln holder havinga locking and/ or releasing handle movable longitudinallyfor operating arlocking andorreleasingv plate member that shifts transversely thereof for wedgingly securing releasably a series of horizontally spaced shown, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein like numeralsindilcarte like parts, in which:

. Figure l is a fragmentary-top -plan View of al stickholder, in its openor stick receivingposition, embodying the principles of our invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary 'longitudinalsectional View of the stickholder showni'n .Figure l, the same having been taken Substantially alongrthe line 2 2 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrows; Y f

Figure 3 is a fragmentary 'transversesectionalV View of the stickholder shown in Figure l; 'thesarne having been taken substantially along the line.3, 3 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrows; andf Figure 4 isla fragmentary viewshowing the yposition of a handle stick in one of the series of aligned aper-V tures of the stickholder,` the same having been taken along the lined-4 ofFigure l, looking inthedirec'tion of the arrows.

Referring nowv to the drawings, there is shown in Fig-y ure l a'stickholder 1i) consisting of an elongated hollow frame structure of an integral construction, which V,is generallyV rectangular inshape, said frame structure ,con-

sisting of vertically spaced top andbottom plate mem bers l1 andlZ, havingconnecting sidewalls 13 and Y1.4,

` forming a hollow interior channel 16, which is open at holders without danger of breaking or kdamaging the A same. Manifestly, when such a conditionoccurs, the frozen or frost-bonded stickholder .must be removed manually from the production line and set aside to warm up until its frost bond has becomemelted so that its oppositeends and is `adapted to receive -slidably an intermediate'locking andreleasingplate member 17 hereinafter to be more fullydescribed. The'interior corners 18 of this integral hollow frame structure ltlrare rounded,

' `as best shown in Figure 3, to provide interconnecting handle sticks and confectionery bodies may be released.

It has been found that stickholders which employ an intermediate'locking and-releasing plate that is shiftable transversely have much less tendency to freeze up to an extent while passing through a brine tank whereby the n automatic devices are incapable of opening or closing its f manipulating handle, and that such stickholders give no curved or roundedfsurfaces to facilitate cleanlinessand cleaning.

Fixed handle members 19 and llare welded or otherwise secured tothe frame structure v10 and extend upwardly .of the top plate vmember 11 adjacent opposite ends to provide suitable means forcarrying' thev stickliolder between operations, etc.V lIt will.be notedthat each'y side upright .of each handle 19 and 21-has an' out` wardly projecting olf-set 22, having a horizontal'base 2,711,338 VPatented June 21,` 1955 member 23 and an upward obliquely extending side Waabs! .Zl- Th@ ,outwardly protecting Offset 22 pro.,- vides means for supporting the stickholder on the top edge or rim of a conventional frozen confection multi .tint shawn), so; to space Ysaid sticlcholder a proper distante. abate the tops of its Open top mold cavities.

Ine fixed top plate 11 and bottom plate 12 lare each prpvided with a plurality of similarly spaced stickY recet ns apartnrssl and 27, respectiveli/,arranged in lgngiktndinai" and transverse rows. While the arrangenient oif apertnres shown is conventional, it is to b e undsrfttttl that. any 'desirable arrangement may be @n1- ployed. 'l The aperturesV 26 and 27 are shown to be of a substantially yr e ctal1gl11ar shape. The apertures 26 of the top plate 1l are aligned vertically with the apertures 2,'71 o f lthe bottoni plate 12. Each plate 11 and 12 has int ediatel itsV ends and between adjacent rows of ape;d A,s 25v and 27 a p air of transversely spaced and longitudinally extending parallel slots 31, as best shown in, lisnle'l'- VThe tgp plate member 11 has adjacent one end a pair ci enlarged transversely spaced openings 33 Vand Siflyhaying a'svhape corresponding to one-half of a hexaggn, which are provided along their inner sides with an upturned integral flange 36 and 37 for supporting a manip/plating handle 3S hereinafter to be described snrnpletely.

'lQhe intermediate locking and/ or releasing plate 17 is slightly smaller than either. the top or bottom plates 11 dhd12, and isV adapted to be mounted slidably within the hollow interior 16 oi the frame structure 10. It is provided with a series of apertures 41 corresponding in size and' p Qsition to the apertures 26 and 27 of the fixed plates 11 andv 12, but has a slightly diderent shape, in that one longitudinal side of said apertures 41 is convex, as indicated at 42 and as best shown in Figure 4, to pijovide ar limited curved area for engaging a side of a handle stick 43 when the same is positioned therein. The intermediate or locking andv releasing plate 17 is ppgvided on opposite sides and adjacent each end with anlintcgral depending projection or leg 44, which serves to space the same substantially mid-way between the top plate 11 and bottom plate 12. The middle plate 17 is also provided with a pair of` transversely spaced clon* gated pagail'el slots 47, which are so positioned as to be substantially in vertical alignment with the similarly shaped slots 31 in the ixed top and bottom plates 11 andl 1.2, except, however, that the slots 47 extend at an angle bibliqne to the longitudinal axis of the slots 31 for reasons to be hereinafter explained;

The mechanism for mounting the manipulating handlepccnsistsjof a pintleV 51 mounted pivotally in vopenings enteiidng transversely through the opstanding il'anges 36 and 3,7. rIfhe handle 38 is of a U-shaped construction having angled legs 52 and 53 projecting thergefronl toprovide suitable bell cranks. Studs 54 and S6 are mounted on the outside end of the flanges 36 and'] to p ioyide a suitable stop for limiting the pivotal movement of the manipulating handle 3S in either direction. Each handle arm 57 and 53 has an aperture 59 extending transverselyy therethrough intermediate its ends, Each aperture 59 is adapted to receive a pair of irregularly and identically shaped levers or link members Gil, The levers 6l! are turned inwardly at right angles adjacent their upper ends, as indicated at 61, to provide lateral inwardly projecting arms 62, which engage, respectively, the handle arms 57 and S8. The outer ends of the arms 52 are threaded and adapted to receive a winged acorn nut 63 for securing the same releasably therein. The levers or link members 60 are also bent downwardly at right angles intermediate their ends, as best shown at 64 in Figure 3, to provide a vertical projecting arm ddfor engaging and passing through the slots 31 of the plates 11. and 12 and the slot 47 of the intermediate plate 17, whereupon said lever arm 60 is again bent or turned outwardly, as indicated at 69, tc gravide a lateral locking projection 7l for .engagement with the lower plate 12. It will be noted that once the upper end 62 of the levers 60 is secured to the manipulating handle 38 by its acorn nut 63, its lower projecting end 7l cannot be moved into a position to disengage the bottom plate 12. Tho remove the-linkage or lever arms 69, it is only necessary to remove the winged acorn nut 63, torce the inturned end A62 out of its aperture and then turn said linkage member until the lower outturned end 71 is aligned with the slot 31 in the bottom plate 12, whereupon it may be entirely removed rfor V'clerzaning purposes. The assembly of the stickhplder 1Q requires merely a reversal'of the aforementioned steps described for its dismantling.

In describing the operation of the stickholder 10, it will be assumed that it is in its open or stick receiving position, as best shown in Figure l, and that the apertures. 31 and 47 are aligned and ready to receive individual handle sticks 43. It'will be noted that inthis position'the manipulating handle 38 is moved tothe ex'ir'ere legt, best shown in Figures ll and 2. When the handle'sti'ckls 43 have been positioned in each setofV verticallyaligned apertures 3.1 and 47, the manipulating handlevis moved forwardlyorto the right in Figure l, which Vin ovlefiri nt will cause the intermediate plate 13 to be shifted transversely of the main traine structure 10, whereby' its left legs 44 will be adjacent the side. 130i saidhollow fi'alne structure 10, and the lever armsv 66 will be "atthe right or forward ends of the elongated slotsf31 and 47 of the plates 11, 12 andv 17, respectively." In thisv position the convex edge 42 of the apertures 4 1 of the intermediate plate 17 will engage a sideof the handle 43 and wedge it against the opposite side of'saidv aperturesi and 27 of the plate`s'11 and12, as best shown in Figure 4l.

The loaded stickholder withits handle stifks 43 lo ed securely therein is now ready to be placed over4 ainoli (not shown) for theV freezing of- 'the edible confection bodies thereon. VAfter thef'rnld and stickliplder has been passed through a brine tank and the defrosting ation (notshown) lthe s tickh I der audits liajftndlel 43 and pendant confectionery'bodies are placed on a conveyor r (not shown)- for transiti r Y through a coating operation, if 'coa gis said'confections, and 'then caiqried to bagging table, whereupon it isdesiredwtov releasesaid'handle sticks from the sticlh'-olderl 10. lzsvthese'loaded s'tilgho 10 umove forwardlyondtheconveyor? thefmanipiiiati g handle 38 engages an :arm or other'device ytendsti force itrearwaidly,thereby'pivoting said h E 5:, 38i lon7 median 'plaie 11 a 'e sie@ frame structure itl, thereby conv x' l2 avavfronl contact with asldqof the hanflleticlst, permitting them to gravitate fttcly from said sticltholder.

Heavier frost forrnatiojrls seein, to,y forrnfadjacentthe ing mechanism of each installation or to develop a stickholder capable of operating in these installationswhich would cause its locking plate to shiftV transversely of its frame structure. Previously known stickholders having a transversely shiftable locking plate operated with a handle that pivoted in the same direction, and such stickholders could not be used in these operations because the opening mechanism does not operate in such direction. Therefore, both types of stickholders could not be used interchangeably in any single operating planti With the present invention, we have provided a satisfactory stickholder for operating in existing installations and which will have no tendency to become frost-bonded. This stickholder may be used interchangeably on present installations with stickholders that have a manipulating handle pivoting longitudinally for' opening and closing,

thereby permitting their use without replacement of thek present day stickholder until they become worn out or broken beyond repair.

Although we have only shown and described one form which our invention may assume, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not to be so limited, but that various other modications may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A stickholder comprising a main frame structure having vertically spaced upper and lower plate members, said upper and lower plate members having a series of spaced and aligned openings for receiving handle sticks positioned vertically therein, said upper and lower plate members having a longitudinally extending slot aligned vertically for receiving a shifting lever, a separable intermediate plate member adapted to be mounted slidably between said upper and lower plates having stick receiving apertures alignable vertically with the stick' receiving apertures of said upper and lower plates, said intermediate plate having anV elongated slot extending obliquely with respect of its longitudinal axis for receiving said shifting lever, vand means including a handle having said shifting leelongated apertures substantially rectangular in shape except for one side which is convex for receiving handlek sticks, said intermediate plate member being relatively thin and flat except for a series of pendant side legs adapted to space the same intermediate thespace between said upper and lower plate members, said intermediate plate having an elongated slot extending obliquely with respect of its longitudinal axis for receiving a shifting lever, and a shifting lever movable longitudinally of said stickholder for shifting 1 said intermediate plate transversely `relative to said main frame structure for locking and releasing handle sticks therebetween.

Y References Cited in the igile of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS siemund June 1s, 1943 2,377,364 overland June 5,1945 2,461,844 Overland Feb. 15, 1949 

